574 



NA TURE 



[October 20, 1923 



Evolving Biology. 



Outlines of Evolutionary Biology. By Prof, Arthur 

 Dendy. With Glossary of Technical Terms. Third 

 edition, revised and enlarged. Pp. xliii + 481. 

 (London : Constable and Co., Ltd., 1923.) 165. net. 



WE extend a welcome to this revised and enlarged 

 edition of an exceedingly useful book, which 

 has been a favourite since it was first published some 

 ten years ago. It is an introduction to the study of the 

 principles of biology, well thought out by a teacher of 

 experience, who has himself made important contribu- 

 tions to the science. There are five parts, dealing with 

 the following subjects : the structure and functions of 

 organisms and the cell theory ; the evolution of sex ; 

 variation and heredity ; the theory and evidence of 

 organic evolution, with particular insistence on adapta- 

 tions ; and, finally, the factors of organic evolution. 

 What gives the book its particular merit, in addition 

 to the indispensable qualities of lucidity and good 

 judgment, is its concreteness. Prof. Dendy is always 

 bringing the student into touch with concrete examples 

 which illustrate the principles discussed and enable 

 the reader to get a firmer grip. 



There is throughout the book a scientific good humour. 

 Thus when the author is discussing such a thorny 

 question as the transmissibility of individually acquired 

 somatic modifications, he is temperate in his language 

 and judicial in his survey. He does not dogmatise and 

 he does not suggest that the only tenable position is 

 L^amarckian ; and yet he is not in the least wobbly, as 

 this quotation may show. 



" On the whole, then, the available evidence seems 

 to indicate that suddenly and exceptionally acquired 

 characters, such as mutilations, are occasionally but 

 only rarely inherited to such an extent as to be recog- 

 nisable, while, on the other hand, characters which are 

 due to the continued action of some external stimulus, 

 extending perhaps over many generations, in the long 

 run become so firmly impressed upon the organism 

 that they affect the germ cells as well as the somatic 

 cells and thus become truly blastogenic." 



We happen to think that this is a misinterpretation 

 of the evidence, but our point is that Prof. Dendy puts 

 the problem before the student in an eminently fair- 

 minded fashion. 



The author wishes good speed to the investigators of 

 the chemical and physical processes that go on in the 

 living body, but he denies that the formulae of chemistry 

 and physics can be made to cover all the phenomena 

 of life. 



" We may, perhaps, beheve that, as living matter 

 became more and more complex in its structure, it 

 entered progressively into new energy relations with its 

 en\'ironment, which became more and more unlike 



NO. 2816, VOL. I I 2] 



those exhibited by inanimate matter, until at 1< 

 they passed in some respects altogether bcyonc 

 reach of chemical and physical explanations." 



This apf)ears to us to be, on the whole, the s( icntifn 

 position at present, though the wording is a little sugges- 

 tive of the idea that mind is a resultant of complexi- 

 fying proteins and energy-relations, which is absurd, a> 

 Euclid used to say when he was tired. Moreover, it is 

 open to question whether there is any " inanimate 

 matter " anywhere. But what we wish to say is this, 

 that if we shared Prof. Dendy's non-mechanistic views, 

 as we do but more also, then we should not entitle a 

 chapter " the mechanism of evolution." The point 

 is that evolution transcends mechanism, and, if that 

 is so, it is a pity to say mechanism when you only 

 mean modus operandi. For there can be no doubt that 

 if one says " mechanism " often enough in reference to 

 vital processes, people will end in beheving us, and we 

 shall believe it ourselves ! 



We have referred only to a crumpled rose-leaf, for 

 we really think that the book is as good as any book 

 has a right to be. It is singularly attractive in every 

 way — beautifully printed, with many interesting illus- 

 trations of great interest ; and it is a personal deliver- 

 ance. Most alteration, naturally, has been made in 

 the part dealing with heredity. There is a valuable 

 glossar)', but we think it was a psychological mistake 

 to put it in the forefront of the book. What a thorny 

 hedge to these fair pastures ! 



Natural History of Pheasants. 



A Monograph of the Pheasants. By William Beebc. 

 In 4 volumes. Vol. 4. Pp. xv-f-242 + 23 coloured 

 plates -1-27 photogravure plates + 6 maps. (London : 

 H. F. and G. Witherby, 1922.) 12/. 10s. net. 



THE fourth and final volume of this great 

 Monograph 1 treats of the golden pheasants 

 (Chrysolophus), the bronze-tailed peacock pheasants 

 (Chalurus), the peacock pheasants (Polyplectron), tl.t- 

 ocellated pheasants (Rheinardius), the Argus pheasant- 

 (Argusianus), and the peafowl (Pavo). 



These groups comprise forms of surpassing beauty 

 of plumage and remarkable habits. The life-histories 

 of a number of the species treated of were previously 

 unknown, since no ornithologist had ever penetrated 

 the remote fastnesses in which their lives are spent, 

 while in the case of others much remained to be learned . 

 Mr. Beebe's researches have lifted the veil which has 

 hitherto masked the ways of many. 



To the illustration of the seventeen species and sub- 

 species here described, twenty-two coloured plates 



' Previous notices relating to this Monograph appeared in Natl>e, vol. 

 102, p. 302 ; vol. 107, p. 235 ; and vol. no, p. 105. 



